Page 39 of Crush

“I threw another ball of paper at her. “Will youstop, it’s like you're in heat or something.”

“Orsomething,” she confirmed with a huff, staring at the ceiling. “Carl stopped putting out. I think I’ve finally broken my vibrator.”

To anyone else, her words would have been gag-worthy but Mia and I sharedeverything. I stared at her whilst I allowed my brain time to catch up, “I thought you weredumpinghim?”

She turned her head and looked at me, “I was, well, I have. But I haveneedsand my poor deprived hormones are all over the place. It’s supposed to be a friends-with-benefits thing but God. I’d have to go to the post office to get mine.”

I lifted a questioning brow, “To get your what?”

Grunting, Mia rolled herself off my bed and came to sit beside me, “Benefits. Fuck me, Amber. Keep up. He’s playing it cool,” Mia confessed with a grimace.

“Well, what did you think he’d do?”

“Cry all the water from his body wasmythinking.”

I decided to play along, “So, the fact that he isn’t all over you makes you want him more?”

Mia changed her mind at the drop of a hat.

“Yup. Messed up, isn’t it?” Mia’s lips curled into a demonic grin.

“Not really. It’s human nature to want what you can’t have,” I explained.

Her mouth dropped open, “Say’s the girl who won’t accept she’s crushing on her boss.”

“I don’tcareif that is the case, it’s not going anywhere and I’ve got my mind on other things. Daddy’s birthday partycomesfirst.”

“Luckybirthday party,” she said in a voice which oozed sexual innuendo. “You should go out with Hunter and then you could set me up with his friend.”

I pulled a heavy breath into my lungs, “Which one?”

“Gabriel Knight, he’s even finer. A bit more polished and less hairy,” my friend explained with a goofy look.

“Max isn’t hairy. I’ve seen him with his shirt off several times,” I announced, lowering the clipboard.

“Interesting how you’re now defending him.” I knew she was toying with me but I needed to concentrate on the party.

My expression must have said it all as she changed the subject. “Anyway, I thought we were going to lunch?” Miracles do happen.

“We are, I just need to finish this first,” I explained, flicking a sheet of A4 over on itself.

“I assume you’re getting changed,” Mia exclaimed, looking down at the joggers and tank top I was wearing with distaste.

“What? I look casual,” I said in my defence, ignoring the desire to give her the two-finger salute.

“Youlooklike shit. I’m not going out with you looking like that. I have standards,” Mia joked. I loved her sense of humour and the fact that she didn’t kiss my arse. I had so many fake friends that did.

I nudged her with my elbow, “Piss off.”

“I’m just saying,” Mia stated with wide eyes.

“Help me then. And yes,I’llchange.”

Mia pushed her hand under my nose and clicked her manicured fingers, “Pass me a highlighter and tell me what I need to do.”

We then both got down to business and worked on the guest list and other finer details of my father’s party. Thoughts and discussions about men were thankfully forgotten.

For now.

---